Republican hand-count decision splits Kerr County runoff polling places by party Tuesday

Kerr County voters heading to the polls Tuesday for the May 26 primary runoff elections will find something they’ve never encountered before: Republicans and Democrats voting at entirely different locations across the county.

The split is a direct consequence of the Kerr County Republican Party’s decision to hand-count ballots cast on Election Day — a choice that, under Texas law, strips both parties of the countywide vote center system Kerr County normally uses.

The Texas Election Code gives each party’s county executive committee authority over how its own primary ballots are counted. But when one party opts for a hand count, the law requires precinct-based voting for both parties on Election Day. Countywide polling places — where any registered voter can cast a ballot at any location — are not permitted when a hand count is in use.

The Republican Party will use machine tabulation for early votes cast May 18–22, hand-counting only the ballots cast Tuesday. But the Election Day restriction applies regardless, meaning Democratic voters are also barred from using countywide vote centers on Tuesday even though their party made no such decision.

The Hill Country League of Women Voters is urging voters not to show up at what they consider a regular polling place. President Bunny Bond said the organization is concerned the unfamiliar locations will leave voters frustrated and unable to find where to cast their ballot.

The pattern has played out elsewhere in Texas. When the Dallas County Republican Party made a similar hand-count decision for the March primary, hundreds of voters showed up at the wrong polling place.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters must report to the precinct location listed on their orange voter registration card.

---

Democratic Party runoff — Election Day locations

• Precincts 101/107/109/113/118/119: Riverside Church of Christ, 625 Harper Road, Kerrville
• Precincts 202/211/215/220: Union Church Building, 101 Travis Street, Kerrville
• Precincts 303/308/312/314: Cailloux Theater, 910 Main Street, Kerrville
• Precincts 404/405/406/410/416/417: Kerr County West Ingram Annex, 510 College Street, Ingram

Republican Party runoff — Election Day locations

• Precincts 101/107/109/113/118/119: Grace Bible Church, 241 Southway Drive, Kerrville
• Precincts 202/211/215/220: Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Highway 27 East, Kerrville
• Precincts 303/308/312/314: Calvary Temple Church, 3000 Loop 534, Kerrville
• Precincts 404/405/406/410/416/417: Citywest Church, 3139 Junction Highway, Ingram

Who can vote in which runoff

• Voted in the March Democratic primary: you may only vote in the Democratic runoff
• Voted in the March Republican primary: you may only vote in the Republican runoff
• Did not vote in either March primary: you may choose either runoff